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Winning Bid US $750 First bid $750 Quantity 1 # of bids 1 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2025-05-07 00:00:00 Ended 2025-11-21 22:35:25

RARE!!, John Miles Co. Philadelphia, 1797 Pennsylvania state militia contract musket, 2nd contract, Cal: .69, MFG: 1801-03, S/N: None, Flintlock musket, 44 1/4'' barrel.

HISTORY: in 1795, Congress would act to set up two National armories for the military, Springfield & Harpers Ferry, but the states were mostly left on their own to arm their Milita forces, which the Militia Act of 1792 established as all able-bodied free white male citizens between 18 and 45 years old, creating a need for lots of militia guns. In 1797 Pennsylvania would look to procure 20,000 muskets. They offered contracts for 10,000 that could be imported and another 10,000 to be produced in the U.S., all of the Charleville pattern in .69 caliber, which had proven itself in the Revolution. John Miles of Philadelphia County would sign a contract to produce 2,000 Muskets for Pennsylvania. the 10,000 imported muskets were to come from the Ketland company in Britain, this contract was voided by the British government, so Pennsylvania issued another round of contracts to US manufactures to make up the difference. John Miles would sign another contract for 2,000 muskets in April of 1801 because of this. He would have two years for each contract to fulfill it. Contracts for the Pennsylvania state militia called for the stocks to be marked ''PENNSYLVANIA'', but this was often not done & a rarer thing to see. They also called for the locks to be marked ''CP'' for Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which almost ever musket was. This muskets stock is not marked Pennsylvania. The makers mark on the lock was not required & John would not put his name on his first contract guns, he would for his second contract in 1801 thought which this gun is from.

CONDITION: The straight wrist walnut stock is good with numerus tight repaired cracks/breaks around with wrist with wooden dowel reinforcement. More tight repaired cracks around the lock plate, side plate, & trigger guard. A couple cracks & grain pops around the buttplate. heavily worn cartouche on the left flat of stock. The metal has toned to a mix of bun metal gray & brown patina with roughness/light pitting concentrated on the lock works & rear of the barrel. The rear of the barrel is marked with a heavily worn liberty cap over ''P'' in oval proof stamp. the lock plate is marked ''MILES'', ''CP''. The bore is poor. Dark with rust & pitting. The barrel holds no sight, the block at the end is the bayonet stud. The front sighs on these rifles would be on the front barrel band, its missing from this gun. The stock carries an iron buttplate, toned to a brown patina with roughness. The musket has both bottom sling loops & a ramrod. Antique/Muzzleloader, No FFL Req - Value: 1500 to 4000

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Price

RARE!!, John Miles Co. Philadelphia, 1797 Pennsylvania state mil... Item # 4406 This auction is over. No new bids can be placed. Price: US $750

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